Blown away by this really! The early season historical episode has always been one I've enjoyed, but Russell T Davies using these two seasons to reinforce the concept of the Pantheon has been interesting. I was worried that this was going to feel derivative of The Devil's Chord for this reason, but ultimately, I was impressed with how this story stood out - Lux did everything right in making a unique vision for Doctor Who, even if it felt routed in the familiar.

From the opening moment, Mr Ring-a-Ding has fantastic presence. From his first appearance, he is intimidating, he is commanding the screen, and this is testament to a cracking performance from Alan Cumming, and phenomenal animation work. He feels so unique as a villain, and so brilliant - is this the best villain of the last 5 years? Yes, maybe not consistently written, but he felt threatening, and just so well realised.

The setting was used fantastically - handling the time period really well, this is a story told in a time of segregation, and this was not ignored. In a story which has so much to handle already, this helped build a good deeper picture, and I was pleased with how it wasn't ignored. This was used so well in adding depth to Belinda's character, who continues to be a stand out - a fantastic performance from Varada Sethu again, with Belinda continuing to challenge, and bring out further aspects of the Doctor's character well. Ncuti Gatwa also gave perhaps my favourite performance of his yet, and again, is really showcasing the variety of the Doctor's character, with a stellar performance.

The side characters felt a little frustrating - the American accents not the best, and many felt positioned to provide the necessary exposition. These are also going to prove polarising, when we consider the fourth wall break scene. However, I was very happy with how this was delivered and handled. It felt earned to the plot - of course to break from the film, you had to break the fourth wall. It made perfect sense to the plot, and I think was handled perfectly. The characters may have felt cliché (Blink is not going to be their favourite episode - give me a random It Takes You Away throwback or something), but inviting the fan into the journey, and thinking of them moving forward, is a lovely little touch. It welcomes fans into this universe, and helps fans feel more involved then ever before - and its such a beautiful thing. Especially to see diversity represented within a fandom - its a beautiful touch.

A fantastic episode!